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}}The 1986 New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the seventy-ninth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Thirteen clubs competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between the Parramatta Eels and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs which featured the introduction of the Clive Churchill Medal. This season, NSWRL teams also competed for the 1986 National Panasonic Cup.

Season summary

This season saw the opening of the new, 30,000 capacity Parramatta Stadium as the home ground for the Parramatta EelsNEWS , In total twenty-six regular season rounds were played from March till September, resulting in a top five of Parramatta, South Sydney, Canterbury-Bankstown (the defending premiers), Manly-Warringah and Balmain who battled it out in the finals (after Balmain had defeated North Sydney in a playoff for 5th spot). Parramatta completed a perfect season, winning the pre-season competition, the midweek Panasonic Cup, finishing the regular season as minor premiers, winning the grand final and farewelling their international long time stars Mick Cronin and Ray Price as victorious champions.The 1986 season's Rothmans Medallist was Manly-Warringah hooker, Mal Cochrane. Parramatta's halfback, Peter Sterling won the Dally M Award as well as Rugby League Week's player of the year award. The Coca-Cola Rugby League Coach-of-the-Year award was given to George Piggins who took South Sydney to the finals in his first year as coach.NEWS The new management and marketing direction that had been undertaken by the NSWRL in the 1980s meant that at the end of this season the League was able to announce a profit of $3.7 million and an increase in attendance of 22%.BOOK 23 of the 28 players selected to go on the 1986 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France at the end of the season were from the NSWRL. Like the Kangaroos of 1982 who went through their tour undefeated to earn the nickname "The Invincibles", the 1986 Kangaroos would also go through undefeated, earning the nickname "The Unbeatables"

Teams

The lineup of clubs remained unchanged from the previous year, with thirteen contesting the premiership, including five Sydney-based foundation teams, another six from Sydney, one from greater New South Wales and one from the Australian Capital Territory. {| class="toccolours" style="margin:auto; text-valign:center;" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="2"!width=140|!width=140|!width=140|!width=140|!width=140|!width=140|!width=140|

'''Balmain Tigers

'''(File:Balmain Jersey 1984.png>100px|center)79th seasonGround: Leichhardt OvalCoach: Frank StantonCaptain: Wayne Pearce

'''Canberra Raiders

'''(File:Canberra Jersey 1984.png>100px|center)5th seasonGround: Seiffert OvalCoach: Don FurnerCaptain: Dean Lance

'''Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

'''(File:Canterbury-Bankstown Jersey 1984.png>100px|center)52nd seasonGround: Belmore OvalCoach: Warren RyanCaptain: Steve Mortimer

'''Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

'''(File:Cronulla-Sutherland Jersey 1985.png>100px|center)20th seasonGround: Ronson FieldCoach: Jack GibsonCaptain: David Hatch

'''Sydney Roosters

'''(File:Eastern Suburbs Jersey 1984.png>100px|center)79th seasonGround: Sydney Sports GroundCoach: Arthur BeetsonCaptain: Hugh McGahan

'''Illawarra Steelers

'''(File:Illawarra Jersey 1984.png>100px|center)5th seasonGround: Wollongong ShowgroundCoach: Brian SmithCaptain: Brian Hetherington

'''Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

'''(File:Manly-Warringah Jersey 1985.png>100px|center)40th seasonGround: Brookvale OvalCoach: Bob FultonCaptain: Paul Vautin

'''North Sydney Bears	'''(File:North Sydney Jersey 1985.png>100px|center)79th seasonGround: North Sydney OvalCoach: Brian NortonCaptain: Mark Graham	'''Parramatta Eels	'''(File:Parramatta Jersey 1986.png>100px|center)40th seasonGround: Parramatta StadiumCoach: John MonieCaptain: Ray Price	'''Penrith Panthers	'''(File:Penrith Jersey 1985.png>100px|center)20th seasonGround: Penrith StadiumCoach: Tim SheensCaptain: Royce Simmons	'''South Sydney Rabbitohs	'''(File:South Sydney Jersey 1986.png>100px|center)79th seasonGround: Redfern OvalCoach: George PigginsCaptain: Mario Fenech	'''St. George Dragons	'''(File:St George Jersey 1984.png>100px|center)66th seasonGround: Sydney Cricket GroundCoach: Roy MastersCaptain: Craig Young	'''Western Suburbs Magpies	'''(File:Western Suburbs Jersey 1984.png>100px|center)79th seasonGround: Lidcombe OvalCoach: Steve GhosnCaptain: Ian Schubert |

Advertising

1986 saw the NSWRL's agency, John Singleton Advertising produce an ad themed around the Gladiators photo and the then premiership trophy. The finished 60sec ad is presented with moving footage and stills from the 1963 grand final showing Provan and Summons embrace and stills shots of other 1970s champions including Bob Fulton, Arthur Beetson and John Sattler interspersed with 1985 season images.The theme is of past heroes "who played it tough but played it fair" and the ad closes with the question as to who this year will claim the "Greatest Prize of All" - being the Winfield Cup Trophy, featuring the "Gladiators" statue.

Regular season

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:85%; text-align:center; width:90%" valign="top"!valign="middle"| Team! 1! 2! 3! 4! 5! 6! 7! 8! 9! 10! 11! 12! 13! 14! 15! 16! 17! 18! 19! 20! 21! 22! 23! 24! 25! 26! F1! F2! F3! F4! GF

Balmain Tigers

CBY+6

CAN+6

PAR−15

MAN−2

STG−15

X

ILA+4

CRO+20

WES−3

PEN+3

EAS−10

NOR−9

SOU+17

CBY+28

CAN+16

PAR−28

MAN+5

STG−6

X

ILA−14

CRO+2

WES−30

PEN+17

EAS+8

NOR−2

SOU+18

NOR+7

MAN+7

SOU+25

CBY−12

Canberra Raiders

MAN−8

BAL−6

ILA−12

CRO+14

WES−10

PEN−6

EAS−17

NOR+26

CBY−6

SOU−2

X

PAR−10

STG+3

MAN−7

BAL−16

ILA+14

CRO−14

WES+32

PEN+16

EAS+24

NOR−21

CBY−18

SOU−5

X

PAR+7

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

BAL−6

CRO+36

PEN+25

EAS+7

NOR−15

X

SOU+24

CAN+6

PAR+9

MAN−14

STG+3

ILA+25

BAL−28

CRO−10

WES+50

PEN+5

EAS+12

NOR+20

X

SOU−9

CAN+18

PAR−1

MAN−8

STG+9

ILA+6

X

SOU+14

PAR−22

BAL+12

PAR−2

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

EAS+10

CBY−36

SOU+14

CAN−14

PAR−22

MAN−12

STG−2

BAL−20

ILA+20

X

WES−17

PEN−24

NOR−21

EAS−23

CBY+10

CAN+14

PAR+14

MAN−28

STG+8

BAL−2

ILA+6

X

WES+14

PEN−36

NOR−7

Eastern Suburbs Roosters

CRO−10

PEN+30

X

NOR−1

CBY−7

SOU−2

CAN+17

PAR−32

MAN−6

STG+5

BAL+10

ILA−10

WES−2

CRO+23

PEN−20

X

NOR+7

CBY−12

SOU+18

CAN−24

PAR−2

MAN+5

STG−13

BAL−8

ILA+2

WES+2

Illawarra Steelers

NOR−4

SOU−3

CAN+12

PAR−4

MAN−10

STG+14

BAL−4

X

CRO−20

WES+26

PEN−4

EAS+10

CBY−25

NOR+6

SOU−9

CAN−14

PAR−7

MAN−2

STG−12

BAL+14

X

CRO−6

WES−14

PEN+2

EAS−2

CBY−6

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles

CAN+8

X

STG−1

BAL+2

ILA+10

CRO+12

WES−10

PEN+6

EAS+6

NOR+4

CBY+14

SOU−4

PAR+12

CAN+7

X

STG+32

BAL−5

ILA+2

CRO+28

WES−2

EAS−5

NOR−6

CBY+8

SOU−5

PAR−16

X

BAL−7

North Sydney Bears

ILA+4

WES+16

PEN−28

EAS+1

X

CBY+15

SOU−18

CAN−26

PAR−1

MAN−4

STG−12

BAL+9

CRO+21

ILA−6

WES+2

PEN+4

EAS−7

X

CBY−20

SOU−24

CAN+21

PAR+4

MAN+6

STG−20

BAL+2

CRO+7

BAL−7

Parramatta Eels

X

STG+30

BAL+15

ILA+4

CRO+22

WES+30

PEN−4

EAS+32

NOR+1

CBY−9

SOU−7

CAN+10

MAN−12

X

STG+13

BAL+28

ILA+7

CRO−14

WES+6

PEN+6

EAS+2

NOR−4

CBY+1

CAN−7

MAN+16

X

X

CBY+22

X

CBY+2

Penrith Panthers

WES+8

EAS−30

NOR+28

CBY−25

SOU−7

CAN+6

PAR+4

MAN−6

STG+16

BAL−3

ILA+4

CRO+24

X

WES+28

EAS+20

NOR−4

CBY−5

SOU+3

CAN−16

PAR−6

STG−4

BAL−17

ILA−2

CRO+36

X

South Sydney Rabbitohs

STG+18

ILA+3

CRO−14

WES+15

PEN+7

EAS+2

NOR+18

CBY−24

X

CAN+2

PAR+7

MAN+4

BAL−17

STG−6

ILA+9

WES+7

PEN−3

EAS−18

NOR+24

CBY+9

X

CAN+5

MAN+5

BAL−18

X

CBY−14

BAL−25

St. George Dragons

SOU−18

PAR−30

MAN+1

X

BAL+15

ILA−14

CRO+2

WES+14

PEN−16

EAS−5

NOR+12

CBY−3

CAN−3

SOU+6

PAR−13

MAN−32

X

BAL+6

ILA+12

CRO−8

WES+4

PEN+4

EAS+13

NOR+20

CBY−9

Western Suburbs Magpies

PEN−8

NOR−16

SOU−15

CAN+10

PAR−30

MAN+10

STG−14

BAL+3

ILA−26

CRO+17

X

EAS+2

PEN−28

NOR−2

CBY−50

SOU−7

CAN−32

PAR−6

MAN+2

STG−4

BAL+30

ILA+14

CRO−14

X

EAS−2

valign="top"!valign="middle"| Team! 1! 2! 3! 4! 5! 6! 7! 8! 9! 10! 11! 12! 13! 14! 15! 16! 17! 18! 19! 20! 21! 22! 23! 24! 25! 26! F1! F2! F3! F4! GFBold â€“ Home gameX â€“ ByeOpponent for round listed above margin">

Ladder{| class"wikitable" style"text-align:center;"

!width=20 abbr="Position×" |!width=220 |Team!width=20 abbr="Played" |Pld!width=20 abbr="Won" |W!width=20 abbr="Drawn" |D!width=20 abbr="Lost" |L!width=20 abbr="Bye" |B!width=20 abbr="Points for" |PF!width=20 abbr="Points against" |PA!width=20 abbr="Points difference" |PD!width=20 abbr="Points" |Pts style="background: #ccffcc;"

	(File:Parramatta colours.svg|16x16px) Parramatta Eels (P)								|37

style="background: #ccffcc;"

	(File:South Sydney colours.svg|16x16px) South Sydney Rabbitohs								|36

style="background: #ccffcc;"

	(File:Canterbury colours.svg|16x16px) Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs								|35

style="background: #ccffcc;"

	(File:Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg|16x16px) Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles								|33

style="background: #ccffcc;"

	(File:Balmain colours.svg|16x16px) Balmain Tigers								|30

style="background: #ccffcc;"

	(File:North Sydney colours.svg|16x16px) North Sydney Bears								|30

	(File:St. George colours.svg|16x16px) St. George Dragons								|29

	{{leagueicon	size=16}} Penrith Panthers								|27

	(File:Eastern Suburbs colours.svg	Sydney Roosters>Eastern Suburbs Roosters								|24

	(File:Cronulla colours.svg|16x16px) Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks								|23

	(File:Canberra colours.svg|16x16px) Canberra Raiders								|21

	(File:Western Suburbs colours.svg|16x16px) Western Suburbs Magpies								|21

	(File:Illawarra colours.svg|16x16px) Illawarra Steelers								|18

Ladder progression

• Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top 5.
• Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round.
• Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished last place on the ladder in that round.
• Underlined numbers indicate that the team had a bye during that round.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; line-height: 90%; font-size:90%;" width=100%!width=20 abbr="Position" |!width=250 |Team!width=20 abbr="Round 1" |1!width=20 abbr="Round 2" |2!width=20 abbr="Round 3" |3!width=20 abbr="Round 4" |4!width=20 abbr="Round 5" |5!width=20 abbr="Round 6" |6!width=20 abbr="Round 7" |7!width=20 abbr="Round 8" |8!width=20 abbr="Round 9" |9!width=20 abbr="Round 10" |10!width=20 abbr="Round 11" |11!width=20 abbr="Round 12" |12!width=20 abbr="Round 13" |13!width=20 abbr="Round 14" |14!width=20 abbr="Round 15" |15!width=20 abbr="Round 16" |16!width=20 abbr="Round 17" |17!width=20 abbr="Round 18" |18!width=20 abbr="Round 19" |19!width=20 abbr="Round 20" |20!width=20 abbr="Round 21" |21!width=20 abbr="Round 22" |22!width=20 abbr="Round 23" |23!width=20 abbr="Round 24" |24!width=20 abbr="Round 25" |25!width=20 abbr="Round 26" |26

	{{leagueicon	size=16}} Parramatta Eels	2	style="background: #99ccff;"		6	style="background: #99ccff;"		10	style="background: #99ccff;"		12	style="background: #99ccff;"		16	style="background: #99ccff;"		16	style="background: #ccffcc;"		18	style="background: #ccffcc;"		22	style="background: #ccffcc;"		26	style="background: #ccffcc;"		28	style="background: #99ccff;"		32	style="background: #99ccff;"		34	style="background: #99ccff;"		35	style="background: #99ccff;"|37

	{{leagueicon	size=16}} South Sydney Rabbitohs	style="background: #99ccff;"		4	style="background: #ccffcc;"		6	style="background: #ccffcc;"		10	style="background: #ccffcc;"		12	style="background: #ccffcc;"		16	style="background: #ccffcc;"		20	style="background: #ccffcc;"		20	style="background: #ccffcc;"		23	style="background: #ccffcc;"		25	style="background: #ccffcc;"		27	style="background: #ccffcc;"		31	style="background: #ccffcc;"		34	style="background: #99ccff;"		36

	{{leagueicon	size=16}} Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	0	2	3	style="background: #ccffcc;"		7	style="background: #ccffcc;"		9	style="background: #ccffcc;"		13	style="background: #ccffcc;"		15	style="background: #ccffcc;"		19	style="background: #ccffcc;"		19	style="background: #ccffcc;"		23	style="background: #ccffcc;"		27	style="background: #ccffcc;"		29	style="background: #ccffcc;"		31	style="background: #ccffcc;"		33	style="background: #ccffcc;"|35

	{{leagueicon	size=16}} Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	style="background: #ccffcc;"		4	style="background: #ccffcc;"		6	style="background: #ccffcc;"		10	style="background: #ccffcc;"		12	style="background: #ccffcc;"		16	style="background: #99ccff;"		18	style="background: #99ccff;"		22	style="background: #99ccff;"		26	style="background: #ccffcc;"		28	style="background: #99ccff;"		30	style="background: #ccffcc;"		31	style="background: #ccffcc;"		33	style="background: #ccffcc;"		33

	{{leagueicon	size=16}} Balmain Tigers	style="background: #ccffcc;"		4	4	4	4	6	8	style="background: #ccffcc;"		10	style="background: #ccffcc;"												24	style="background: #ccffcc;"		26	style="background: #ccffcc;"		28	style="background: #ccffcc;"|30

	{{leagueicon	size=16}} North Sydney Bears	2	style="background: #ccffcc;"			6	style="background: #ccffcc;"		10	style="background: #ccffcc;"																				30

	{{leagueicon	size=16}} St. George Dragons	style="background: #ffcccc;"		0	2	4	6	6	8	10	10	10	12	12	12	14	14	14	16	18	20	20	22	24	26	28	28	29

	{{leagueicon	size=16}} Penrith Panthers	style="background: #ccffcc;"			4	4	4	6	8	8	10	10	style="background: #ccffcc;"		14	style="background: #ccffcc;"		18	style="background: #ccffcc;"		20	style="background: #ccffcc;"		22	style="background: #ccffcc;"		22	23	23	23	23	25	27

	{{leagueicon	size=16}} Sydney Roosters	>			4	4	4	4	6	6	6	8	10	10	10	12	12	14	16	16	18	18	18	20	20	20	22	24

	{{leagueicon	size=16}} Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	style="background: #ccffcc;"								4	6	8	8	8	style="background: #ffcccc;"		8	10	11	13	15	15	17	17	19	21	23	23	23

	{{leagueicon	size=16}} Canberra Raiders	0	0	style="background: #ffcccc;"			2	style="background: #ffcccc;"		2	4	style="background: #ffcccc;"		4	style="background: #ffcccc;"		6	8	8	style="background: #ffcccc;"		10	style="background: #ffcccc;"									| 21

	{{leagueicon	size=16}} Western Suburbs Magpies	0	0	1	style="background: #ffcccc;"																		15	17	19	19	21	21

	{{leagueicon	size=16}} Illawarra Steelers	0	0	2	2	2	4	4	6	6	8	8	10	10	12	12	12	12	style="background: #ffcccc;"		12	style="background: #ffcccc;"			16	style="background: #ffcccc;"		18	style="background: #ffcccc;"		18

">

Finals{| border1 style"border-collapse:collapse; font-size:90%; text-align:center;" cellpadding3 cellspacing0 width100%

bgcolor=#C1D8FF !rowspan=2 width=21%|Home!rowspan=2 width=6%|Score!rowspan=2 width=21%|Away!colspan=6|Match Information bgcolor=#EFEFEF !width=17%|Date and Time!width=17%|Venue!width=11%|Referee!width=7%|Crowd bgcolor="#D0E7FF"

Playoff

bgcolor=#F5FAFF

(File:Balmain colours.svg|23x23px) Balmain Tigers|14-7	(File:North Sydney colours.svg|23x23px) North Sydney Bears|2 September 1986|Sydney Cricket Ground|Mick Stone|10,788

bgcolor="#D0E7FF"

Qualifying Finals

bgcolor=#F5FAFF

(File:Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg|23x23px) Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles|22-29	(File:Balmain colours.svg|23x23px) Balmain Tigers|6 September 1986|Sydney Cricket Ground|Kevin Roberts|17,597

bgcolor=#F5FAFF

(File:South Sydney colours.svg|23x23px) South Sydney Rabbitohs|2-16	(File:Canterbury colours.svg|23x23px) Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs|7 September 1986|Sydney Cricket Ground|Mick Stone|24,573

bgcolor="#D0E7FF"

Semi-finals

bgcolor=#F5FAFF

(File:South Sydney colours.svg|23x23px) South Sydney Rabbitohs|11-36	(File:Balmain colours.svg|23x23px) Balmain Tigers|13 September 1986|Sydney Cricket Ground|Kevin Roberts|27,035

bgcolor=#F5FAFF

(File:Parramatta colours.svg|23x23px) Parramatta Eels|28-6	(File:Canterbury colours.svg|23x23px) Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs|14 September 1986|Sydney Cricket Ground|Mick Stone|32,499

bgcolor="#D0E7FF"

Preliminary final

bgcolor=#F5FAFF

(File:Canterbury colours.svg|23x23px) Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs|28-16	(File:Balmain colours.svg|23x23px) Balmain Tigers|21 September 1986|Sydney Cricket Ground|Mick Stone|32,341

bgcolor="#D0E7FF"

Grand final

bgcolor=#F5FAFF

(File:Parramatta colours.svg|23x23px) Parramatta Eels|4-2	(File:Canterbury colours.svg|23x23px) Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs|28 September 1986|Sydney Cricket Ground|Mick Stone|45,843

Chart

{{5McIntyre | team-width=150| RD1= Qualifying final| RD2= Major semi-final| RD4= Grand final| RD1b=Elimination final| RD2b=Minor semi-final| RD3b=Preliminary final| RD1-seed1=2South Sydney|16}} South Sydney| RD1-score1=2| RD1-seed2=3Canterbury|16}} Canterbury| RD1-score2=16| RD1-seed3=4Manly|16}} Manly| RD1-score3=22| RD1-seed4=5Balmain|16}} Balmain| RD1-score4=29| RD2-seed1=1Parramatta|16}} Parramatta| RD2-score1=28| RD2-seed2=Canterbury|16}} Canterbury| RD2-score2=6| RD2-seed3=South Sydney|16}} South Sydney| RD2-score3=11| RD2-seed4=Balmain|16}} Balmain| RD2-score4=36| RD3-seed1=Canterbury|16}} Canterbury| RD3-score1=28| RD3-seed2=Balmain|16}} Balmain| RD3-score2=16| RD4-seed1=Parramatta|16}} Parramatta| RD4-score1=4| RD4-seed2=Canterbury|16}} Canterbury| RD4-score2=2}}

Grand final{| align"right" class"wikitable" style"font-size:90%; margin-left:1em"

bgcolor="#FF0033" ! align="centre" style="width:140px; border:3px solid gold; background: blue; color: gold"|Parramatta Eels! style="width:40px; text-align:center; background:#eee; color:black;"|Position! align="centre" style="width:140px; border:3px solid blue; background: white; color: blue"|Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs align=center|

1. Paul Taylor

Fullback (rugby league)>FB	Phil Sigsworth

align=center

Mick Delroy >	Winger (rugby league)>WG	2. Andrew Farrar

align=center

Mick Cronin (rugby league)>Mick Cronin	Center (rugby league)	>| 3. Michael Hagan

align=center

Steve Ella >	Center (rugby league)>CE	4. Chris Mortimer

align=center

Eric Grothe Sr. >	Winger (rugby league)>WG	5. Steve O'Brien

align=center

Brett Kenny >	Five-eighth>FE	6. Terry Lamb

align=center

Peter Sterling (rugby league commentator)>Peter Sterling	Halfback (rugby league)	>| 7. Steve Mortimer (c)

align=center

Geoff Bugden >	Prop (rugby league)>PR	13. Peter Tunks

align=center

Michael Moseley (rugby league)>Michael Moseley	Hooker (rugby league)	>| 12. Mark Bugden

align=center

Terry Leabeater >	Prop (rugby league)>PR	11. Peter Kelly

align=center

Mark Laurie (rugby league)>Mark Laurie	Second Row (rugby league)	>	Paul Dunn (rugby league)>Paul Dunn

align=center

John Muggleton >	Second Row (rugby league)>SR	9. Steve Folkes

align=center

Ray Price (rugby)>Ray Price (c)	Lock (rugby league)	>| 8. Paul Langmack

align=center

Tony Chalmers >		Geoff Robinson (rugby league, born 1957)>Geoff Robinson

align=center

Peter Wynn>		David Boyd (rugby league)>David Boyd

align=center

John Monie >	| Warren Ryan

Eels coach John Monie had stepped into the large shoes left by Jack Gibson in 1984 and was under pressure to ensure Parramatta did not fall short for a third year. Eels legends Ray Price and Mick Cronin were in their farewell seasons and the Eels fans at least wanted to see them go out on a winning note. Everything had augured well right through the season with a Parramatta victory in the pre-season competition, the midweek National Panasonic cup and the minor premiership.The Bulldogs on the other hand were building a dynasty under the Warren Ryan-coached style of uncompromising defence that had changed the game. In prop Peter Kelly, hooker Mark Bugden and three-quarter Andrew Farrar, Ryan possessed a number of defensive hitmen capable of carrying out his game plan.Parramatta's Mick Cronin required a police escort to the match after being stuck in a traffic jam.NEWS , The grand final was fifteen minutes old when Eels winger Mick Delroy was knocked out by a high shot from Farrar while Price suffered a constant barrage from Kelly throughout the first half. Referee Mick Stone at least initially appeared reluctant to send anyone off and Farrar and Kelly benefitted.Stone also disallowed two near tries in the first half to Eels five-eighth Brett Kenny who was ultimately frustrated in his attempt to replicate the two tries per grand final statistic that he'd maintained in each of the 1981, 1982 and 1983 deciders.It wasn't until Kelly was sin-binned for 10 minutes for a high tackle on Price that the Eels started to find gaps in the Bulldogs line. Two minutes before half time and still with 12 men Canterbury looked in trouble when Eric Grothe Sr. set off down the sideline with a clear path. A desperate Steve Mortimer cover-defending run brought Grothe down metres from the tryline. A minute later Cronin opened the scoring for the Eels with a successful penalty goal.Twelve minutes into the second half, Canterbury five-eighth Terry Lamb levelled the score with a penalty goal after Peter Sterling was penalised for a late tackle on Steve Mortimer.With eighteen minutes remaining, Canterbury replacement forward David Boyd was penalised for a high tackle on Price who had by now suffered an hour of ferocious Bulldog attention. Price appeared concussed and the Parramatta trainers unsuccessfully tried to convince him to leave the field. Cronin kicked the resultant penalty and the Eels again took a 2-point lead.After Canterbury fullback Phil Sigsworth was sent off for a high shot on Kenny, the 12 remaining Bulldogs lifted a level and continued with attacking surges. Farrar was stopped by the Eels defence centimetres from the line, Lamb missed an opportunity to level with another penalty attempt and then right on the bell Parramatta forward Michael Moseley, in a career highlight moment, cut down Bugden as the Bulldogs hooker appeared certain to score.Parramatta had taken on Canterbury at their own game - defence-focused trench warfare and managed to keep the game tryless and win the battle of attrition. In the process they halted Canterbury's hopes of three successive titles in the first try-less grand final.Parramatta 4Goals: Cronin 2Canterbury-Bankstown 2Goals: Lamb 1Clive Churchill Medal: Peter Sterling (Parramatta)WEB, D'Souza, Miguel, Grand Final History,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20140819082626weblink">weblink dead, 19 August 2014, wwos.ninemsn.com.au, Australian Associated Press, AAP, 8 September 2013,

Player statistics

The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 26.{{col-begin}}{{col-2}}Top 5 point scorers{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;"!width=50 |Points!width=200 |Player!width=30 |Tries!width=30 |Goals!width=30 |Field goals!184

Canterbury}} Terry Lamb	11	66	8

!183

Old Penrith}} Greg Alexander	11	69	1

!172

Manly}} Mal Cochrane	4	78	0

!165

South Sydney}} Neil Baker	5	63	19

!164

Balmain}} Ross Conlon	4	74	0

Top 5 try scorers{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;"!width=50 |Tries!width=200 |Player!13

Manly}} Phil Blake

!12

Canberra}} Terry Fahey

!12

Western Suburbs}} Rod Pethybridge

!11

Canterbury}} Terry Lamb

!11

Canterbury}} Steve O'Brien

!11

Old Penrith}} Greg Alexander

!11

Eastern Suburbs}} Gary Wurth

!11

Canberra}} Gary Belcher

!11

Illawarra}} Alan McIndoe

{{col-2}}Top 5 goal scorers{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;"!width=50 |Goals!width=200 |Player!78

Manly}} Mal Cochrane

!74

Balmain}} Ross Conlon

!69

Old Penrith}} Greg Alexander

!66

Canterbury}} Terry Lamb

!65

Canberra}} Mal Meninga

{{col-end}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

• weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20070323001805weblink">Rugby League Tables - Season 1986 The World of Rugby League
• 1986 Winfield Cup TVC YouTube.
• Clarkson, Alan (1997). The Greatest Games We Ever Played (Essay Collection, ed. Geoff Prenter). Sydney: Ironbark Publishing.
• weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20080724073940weblink">Results:1981-90 at rabbitohs.com.au
• 1986 J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup at rleague.com{{dead link|date=June 2020|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
• NSWRL season 1986 at rugbyleagueproject.com

{{Parramatta Eels}}{{National Rugby League seasons}}